His co-defendant, 33-year-old Pedro Villarreal, also of Frankfort, received the same sentence in late January.

Their arrests on April 23, 2012, came when Lafayette police Officer Ian O'Shields was on routine patrol at Knights Inn, 4110 Indiana 26 East. O'Shields became suspicious when the door to one motel room kept opening and closely periodically, but no one was entering or exiting the room.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the charges, Wilkerson eventually walked outside. When O'Shields asked whether anyone else was inside, Wilkerson replied "Pete" and gave O'Shields a key card for the room.

Villarreal, however, was allegedly less cooperative and slammed the door on O'Shields. Once inside, the officer noted four plastic bottles on heaters appeared to be boiling or cooking.

One of the bottles tested positive for methamphetamine.

Sales records from local pharmacies shows that Wilkerson and Villarreal purchased cold medication containing pseudoephedrine, a common ingredient used to make meth, on numerous occasions in mid-April.

The suspects have to pay $3,136 in restitution to the Indiana State Police Meth Suppression Section.

- Sophia Voravong/svoravong@jconline.com

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Man gets 20 years on charges of cooking meth

A Frankfort man was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison, followed by five years on probation, for cooking methamphetamine in a Lafayette motel room.